Skip to content

Culver City · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Culver City

Culver City sets fence heights by setback and sightline in residential zones and limits home businesses in visits and workers. It lists home business uses that are not allowed.

Ask about building on your lot in Culver City See coverage

Key points

  • Fence height: Residential fences are limited to 4 feet in the front setback and 6 feet in side and rear setbacks.
  • Home businesses: Home businesses get no client visits, except lessons, tutoring and office uses, limited to 3 car visits a day; only residents may work there.

Each rule below is marked Culver City code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Fences and walls

Culver City code What Culver City's code adds
Corner visibility
  • No more than 4 feet high. Any part above 30 inches must be open design.
    Applies: Residential zones, within a 15-foot intersection safety sightline.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Residential Zones - Within a 15 foot intersection safety sightline. | 4 feet (2) | The portion of the fence or wall above 30 inches in height shall be of an openwork design (e.g., wrought iron or other material), to ensure adequate visibility for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
  • No more than 4 feet high. Any part above 30 inches must be open design.
    Applies: Residential zones, within a 5-foot side or rear yard driveway safety sightline.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Residential Zones - Within a 5 foot side or rear yard driveway safety sightline. | 4 feet (2) | The portion of the fence or wall above 30 inches in height shall be of an openwork design (e. g., wrought iron or other material), to ensure adequate visibility for pedestrian and vehicular traffic adjacent to a street right-of-way.
Height anywhere on the lot
  • No more than 6 feet high.
    Applies: Any one retaining wall.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Retaining walls shall not exceed six feet in height for any one wall, nor 12 feet for any combination of walls (including required freeboard).
  • No more than 12 feet high in total.
    Applies: Any combination of retaining walls, including required freeboard, with walls at least 3 feet apart horizontally.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Retaining walls shall not exceed six feet in height for any one wall, nor 12 feet for any combination of walls (including required freeboard).
Front yard height
  • No more than 4 feet high.
    Applies: Residential front setbacks. Within 10 feet of a street and 5 feet of a driveway or alley, the part above 30 inches must be open.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Residential Zones - Within the required front setback | 4 feet (2)
Side and rear yard height
  • No more than 6 feet high.
    Applies: Residential side or rear setbacks, not hedges or landscaping. Two owners may agree to an 8-foot fence between their abutting rear yards.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Residential Zones - Within a required side or rear setback. | 6 feet (3)(4)
  • No more than 8 feet high.
    Applies: Residential side or rear setbacks next to an alley or a non-residential zone.
    § 17.300.030 · code text
    Residential Zones - Within a required side or rear setback adjacent to an alley right-of-way or abutting a non-residential zone. | 8 feet | Alley adjacent rear and side yard fences are not eligible for fence height waivers.

Running a business from home

Culver City code What Culver City's code adds
Customer visits
  • No more than 6 extra vehicle trips (3 car visits) a day.
    Applies: One-on-one art, music and similar lessons, academic tutoring, and office-type uses.
    § 17.400.055 · code text
    which do not generate more than six additional vehicle trips (i.e. three car visits) to the dwelling each day.
  • No customer or client visits.
    Applies: All home businesses except one-on-one art, music and fine-art lessons, academic tutoring and office-type uses.
    § 17.400.055 · code text
    No customer or client visits to the site of a home occupation shall be permitted, except for the activities identified in § 17.400.055.A.1. and § 17.400.055.A.2.
  • No more than 6 extra vehicle trips (3 car visits) a day.
    Applies: A person whose physical or mental impairment prevents independent travel, who invites clients to the home.
    § 17.400.055 · code text
    A physically or mentally impaired individual who is prevented, by the nature of the impairment, from independent travel, may invite clientele, customers, or patrons to the premises to conduct business that do not exceed more than six additional vehicle trips (i.e. three car visits) to the dwelling each day.
Employees
  • No employees working on site other than full-time residents of the home.
    § 17.400.055 · code text
    A home occupation shall have no employees working on the site of the home occupation other than full-time residents of the dwelling.
Businesses not allowed
  • Adult business activities or businesses; businesses involving breeding, grooming, harboring, raising, or training animals; carpentry and cabinet making; dance club or night club; fortune telling; hair, nail, facial, and similar personal care; manufacturing and/or assembly; massage therapy; medical and dental offices, clinics, and laboratories; personal self-storage; plant nursery; retail sales; vehicle repair, upholstery, automobile detailing, and painting; welding and machining; other uses determined by the Director not to be incidental to or compatible with residential activities
    § 17.400.055 · code text
    The following list presents examples of commercial uses that are not incidental to or compatible with residential activities, are suitable only in non-residential zoning districts, and are therefore prohibited:

Pets, chickens and bees

Culver City code What Culver City's code adds
Permit
  • A city permit is required to keep any animals, fowl or reptiles other than household pets.
    Applies: The permit can be revoked if keeping the animals is or may become harmful to public health or safety.
    § 9.01.015 · code text
    It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain, or have in possession or under control, any animals, fowl or reptiles, other than household pets, in the City, without having applied for and received a permit as hereinafter provided, which permit shall be revocable at any time it is made to appear to the Culver City Animal Services Officer that the keeping of such animals, fowl or reptiles is, or may become, detrimental to the public health, safety, and/or general welfare.

Other Culver City rules on this

Culver City's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Culver City?

Residential fences are limited to 4 feet in the front setback and 6 feet in side and rear setbacks.

Can I run a business from my home in Culver City?

Home businesses get no client visits, except lessons, tutoring and office uses, limited to 3 car visits a day; only residents may work there.

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Culver City?

Culver City's code: A city permit is required to keep any animals, fowl or reptiles other than household pets. (The permit can be revoked if keeping the animals is or may become harmful to public health or safety.) (§ 9.01.015).

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Culver City property

Ask GoCodebook how these rules apply to your address and get an answer that cites the section.

Ask your question

More on Culver City

Culver City Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Culver City

Buying & selling in Culver City

Culver City overview